Horses now allowed on trails at Norton Shores park

NORTON SHORES, MI – Horses are now allowed on some trails at a park in Norton Shores, a rarity for municipal park systems in West Michigan.

An ordinance prohibiting horses in Norton Shores parks recently was amended by the city council to allow them at Black Lake Park. That amounts to a big win for equestrian enthusiasts in the area.

Gail Whitaker, 75, of Norton Shores was one of several horse enthusiasts who lobbied for the change. She said equestrians have been taking their horses for trots around the woods surrounding the park.

Now, she and her friends in the Tuesday Trotters equine club can ride on specified park trails at Black Lake Park, located on a 58-acre parcel of land off south of Pontaluna Road between Wood Road and the eastern shoreline of Little Black Lake.

“It’s just a thrill for us,” Whitaker said. “The city is now one of the first towns in West Michigan that allows horses on trails. It’s a real asset for us, and a real asset for the city of Norton Shores because it could become an attraction for people who want to have a horse but don’t have anywhere to ride.”

State law allows residents to ride horses on roadways, but Whitaker said that’s often dangerous for motorists and equestrians alike.

The amended ordinance only allows horses at Black Lake Park and they are still prohibited at other parks in the city. The city council approved the change on Nov. 20 and it went into effect 10 days later on Nov. 30. However, enforcement signs barring horses were still present at Black Lake Park as of Dec. 12.

“I think it’s a nice opportunity for them,” Norton Shores City Manager Mark Meyers said of equestrians. “People were riding on service roads, but since then we have developed a nice trail system."

Meyers said equestrians also have to police themselves when it comes to keeping the property clean from horse waste or any other damage that might occur.

“It hasn’t been an issue so far,” Meyers said. “Clearly they’ll have to clean up after their horses to make sure animal waste doesn’t become a nuisance. Certainly, we’ll work with those (riders) and my hope is they’ll be self-policing. It’s a privilege for them and they want to make sure they’re not taking it for granted.”

That privilege was not lost on Whitaker.

“It’s a nice safe place for us to ride and others to use," she said. "As more people move into the area, with increased traffic, it became more dangerous for us to be sharing the road. (At Black Lake Park), we can take the horse into the water, and they love that.

“We’d really like to thank to city for providing us with an alternative for riding on the road.”